Word of the Day: scheme

A scheme is a plan to be followed or a project. It's also any policy adopted by a government or a company regarding a particular subject. It can also be a secretive and usually dishonest plot. Additionally, a scheme is a diagram or map. As a verb, scheme means 'to plan something' usually in a dishonest way.

Example sentences

•

The workers devised a scheme to make things more efficient.

•

The government's scheme to get long-term unemployed people back into work is a great success.

•

The children's scheme to get out of doing their chores didn't fool their parents for a minute.

•

The criminals examined a scheme of the bank building to work out how to get into the safe.

•

Martin is scheming to get his supervisor's job.

•

This is a scheme of the building's water, power, and heating installation.

Did you know?

As well as generally being a diagram or map, in astrology, a scheme is a diagram showing the positions of the heavenly bodies and a diagram showing the positions of the planets at the time of someone's birth. Using this scheme, professional astrologers make detailed descriptions of the person's characteristics and personality traits, and how these may affect this person's future.

Other forms

schematic (adjective), schematics (noun)

Origin

Scheme was first used in English in the mid-16th century. It originated in the Ancient Greek word schêma, which meant form or figure, and came to English through the Medieval Latin word schēma.